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This week marks two momentous events for my blog. Firstly I have officially caught up with my blog posts, it took a month or so but we made it! Secondly I have done my first piece of traveling, to Tulufan (Chinese) or Turpan (Uighur and Western). So this blog will be donated to my first travels and also some more teaching news.
So last week was disrupted by the mid-autum festival, an oddly placed holiday on Thursday. The holiday involves giving practically everyone you know Moon cakes. Now these little pie-shaped objects are sort of Christmas Pudding in pastry. Now when I first saw stalls selling these odd little cakes I just thought they had fallen off the back of a truck. But sure enough, there is some tradition to them. Anyway, this holiday allowed me and Alex to travel to Turpan to see more of Xingjiang.
Turpan is quite different to Fukang and Urumqi in that the Uighur population far outweighs the Han population. It is roughly a 80/20 ratio where in Fukang is it the opposite (more Han than Uighur). Turpan has had a turbulant recent history (look it up if you are interested), so many Han are scared to travel there. We were questioned as to why we were going there by several different Han freinds; "But there is nothing to do there". Infact any Han that do go stay by the tour bus mostly and only travel in groups, how very tribal.
So on Thursday me and Alex got a taxi to Urumqi and a bus through to Turpan. While the taxi was uninteresting the bus was facinating. Now I've mentioned in a blog back in England that Xingjang was China's answer to a constantly rising energy demand, well on Thursday I saw it for myself. Now the three coal stations surrounding Fukang are quie unspectacular; large tower, lots of steam and a constant movement of large blackened lorries. Firstly there were hundreds of nodding donkeys - oil wells. I've read up since and apparently the Talakaman desert alone holds three times the known oil resevres of the United States. Then a gas station with huge silver cyclinders and a large constant flame from one of the towers. However the main attraction was yet to come; approximately 3000 wind turbines. Rows and rows of turbines throughout the desert, stretching as far as the eye can see. It was an incredible site of human engineering, the Chinese certainly know how to do their mega-projects.
Turpan was (suprisingly) very similar to Fukang, long straight roads, plenty of trees and plenty of high rise buildings. We found a hotel which proceeded to put us in the basement once they heard our budget. Seriously; no windows, pipes everywhere and no power sockets. Still we checked in and headed off to Gaocheng, an ancient city near Turpan. Now I've seen a fair few Roman ruins, but honestly, this was something else. Gaocheng was more of a fortress for the Chinese administration than a city, and alot of the huge walls around the city remain. The preservation of the city is spectacular, many people lived in caves (due to the emense heat) which are largely still intact. Add to all this the back drop of the flamming mountains and behind them the Tian Shan mountains and this place puts Vindalanda and Corbidium to shame. Unlike Northumberlands Roman ruins Gaocheng was oddly deserted, which made it hard to believe it was once inhabited by 7000 people. This might have been due to the fact it was late and the sun was setting, which gave the city a very Tatooine feel. After Gaocheng we headed back to Turpan along a road typical to China; newly built yet bumpier than the farm track at home!
Once we got back me and Alex did our most Gap Yah thing yet. We went to a very nice hotel in the centre of Turpan and asked how much the rooms cost. Now we were expecting alot, but not the amount we were told. So just as we walked out to look elsewhere the lady mentioned a basement room. We were taken to our 50 yuan room, deep under the hotel. And lets just say it wasn't pleasant. Pipes with liquids running past my head, peeling walls, no windows, no power sockets and a general unpleasant smell. Yet it had one thing going for it; it was cheap. After a night of no airconditioning we awoke to see more of Turpan.
Again we went, deep into the desert, to see the Thousand Buddhist Caves. So called as there are thousands of Buddas painted on the roof. The caves themselves were amazing, the art work was truly extrodinary. The Buddas were very Indian, rather than the fat Chinese budda, as these were painted before Buddhism was altered in China. The caves themselves were oddly similar to ancient structures in America, coincidence? Most likely. Unfortunetly the caves were heavily comercialised, with some 5 year old ancient caves further up the road being the main attration to Chinese tourists. Less dirty, apparently. Security cameras drilled into 3000 year old walls and toy camels for 20 yuan, thats China! Still, they are an amazing preservation of the intriguing history of Central Asia.
We breifly went to the Emmit Mosque, one of the most famous attractions of Turpan. However charging 50 yuan to enter was a penny too far for us, so we sat outside in the sun and looked at the building. I'm still ticking it off my list. Now if anyone reading this blog has any inclination to go to Turpan (whether I have encouraged that or not...) I would highley reccomend the Turpan museum. While the ancient people in this region have never perserved bodies like the Egyptions there are definitly more mummies! The combination of deep burials and very dry weather means that hundreds of raisened bodies have been found - with finger nails, hair, teeth and even tatoos still intact. While intially creepy each mummy tells a fasinating story. The insight into peoples lives provided by these mummies is part of the reason for this regions appeal. For example many caucasian, red haired men and women have been found. As well as transcripes in an Indo-European language more similar to German and English that Mongolian, Chinese or Uighur. Findings in this region have sparked debate as to whether the people of the Mekong delta and Yellow river basin really developed seperately from people in the west or if there was in fact an exchange of ideas and languages. The mummies in this region seem to indicate that this exchange did take place, although not many Chinese academics support this. Anyway, got a bit carried away there. Still the museum is well worth a visit! Also, to the delight of the 7 year old Jurassic Park enthusiast inside me, there were some great Dinosaur fossils. Central Asia is actually where the Velociraptor used to live, although it was smaller and more feathered than Speilberg indicated.
Deciding not to spend another (still expensive) night in Turpan we got the last bus back to Urumqi and onto Fukang. I would love to have seen more of Turpan, and hopefully one day I will do.
Now some more teaching news! Afterall that is the reason I'm here. So last week we did shopping, me and Alex's first lesson. I started my lesson with splat, getting two kids up to hit the board when I said a fruit, or an item of clothing. Chinese kids are quite competitive once they get over their shyness...Then onto a matching words with definitions to see how much they know. The variation in classes is huge and activities like this seem to divide the class between the cans and the can'ts. Onwards to a dialogue between and a cashier and a customer using the words they just defind to fill in gaps. Then I talk through the dialogue with the class, repeating words with 'th' and 'r' alot of times. Now with good classes I get students to say the dialogue to each other but with the weaker classes this just never happens. After that I move onto useful questions and answers. Finally some classes got onto some questions with spaces for written answers, such as: "Are you saving up for anything?". Most classes don't get up to the last part, although I've had students wiz through all of it. As lessons were severly disrupted by the oddly placed holiday I've ended up doing a couple of lessons listening to the Beatles as me and Alex decided to not let some classes get ahead of others. We played "I want to hold your hand" while the students filled in the lyrics. After that we did a load of activities. While Paul McCartney is no Michael Jackson, I think the students still enjoyed it. Next lesson is having a meal, so we'll see how that goes! I'm really enjoying teaching at the moment, let's hope that continues!
Until next time,
Stephen
- comments
Kath Interesting trip, although before you criticise Chinese tourists remember Vindolanda does have a rebuilt roman fort and animatronic Romans.....and a large amount of plastic Roman gifts which are undoubtedly made in china!
julia harris Hey Stephen. Julia, Jesse's mum a regular guest at centre barks(daft chocolate lab who bashes a tin dish around when he's there) here. Found your blog after directions from your Mum. Totally different world, sounds amazing. What age are the kids you teach? think its a great idea you using music in your lessons with them too. Not sure how easy it is for you to post pics, but would be interested to see any. Well done and have fun.